Things Change
by disloyalseraph
Summary: Things are changing for everyone. New relationships are blossoming, old relationships are rekindling, and something is coming for one of the scoobies. Ch. 1


Disclaimer: I do not own BTVS, nor do I have any part in its production. This is my attempt at an episode. Besides it would be silly to sue a fan. Enjoy!  
  
Summary: Imagine Kennedy, Molly, and Annabelle were the only slayers in training that survived the Bringers. Annabelle is dead, leaving Kennedy and Molly in Buffy's care. Things are changing for everyone, new relationships are blossoming and old relationships are rekindling, and something is coming for one of the scoobies.  
  
Author's Note: This is the first full episode I've written. I'd really like your reviews on it, thanks!  
  
  
  
Things Change  
  
Scene opens in Summer's house. Xander is lounging around on the couch while Molly is just now waking up from a deep slumber.  
  
XANDER  
  
~Yawning~ Another day. Heh, we're all still alive and kicking, I think the score is one us, and the Big Bad gets the goose egg.  
  
MOLLY  
  
Xander, the First has killed dozens of potential slayers and watchers, I hardly think we're winning this battle.  
  
XANDER  
  
Hush youngin', the Buffster has got it under control.  
  
Anya walks into the room, a cup of OJ in her hand.  
  
ANYA  
  
She is right though, Xander. If we were playing by demon rules, we'd have been hung upside down and beaten with severed limbs by now. ~Trailing off~ Ah, the good ol' days.  
  
XANDER  
  
Ah, visuals, bad!  
  
MOLLY  
  
Well, with the dreams Dawn has been having and the bad feelings I'm getting, I'm sure the worst is yet to come.  
  
ANYA + XANDER  
  
What dreams?  
  
OPENING CREDITS  
  
Scene opens: Willow is still asleep on the floor. Kennedy is lying in Willow's bed staring at her.  
  
Willow turning over and opening her eyes realizes that Kennedy has been staring at her.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Morning sunshine. Did you know you snore?  
  
WILLOW  
  
Ugh, morning. No, I didn't. Sorry about that.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Oh no. I don't mind at all. It's actually kinda soothing.  
  
WILLOW  
  
Yea, I can see how my snoring might soothe some, annoy others. I hope I didn't keep you awake.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Nope, all sweet dreams here.  
  
WILLOW  
  
Good to hear.  
  
Willow stands up and puts her hand on her back, she's sore from sleeping on the floor.  
  
WILLOW  
  
~Letting out a huge yawn~ Soooooo, have you been downstairs this morning? Anyone else up?  
  
KENNEDY  
  
I don't know, actually. To tell you the truth I've kinda been staring at you all morning.  
  
WILLOW  
  
Oh, um ok. That's.yeah.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
I didn't mean to creep you out or anything, you're just very peaceful when you sleep.  
  
WILLOW  
  
Oh yea, snoring and all.  
  
Willow smiles sheepishly and begins to get dressed. Kennedy walks over to her, takes her arm, and turns her around.  
  
WILLOW  
  
What's up?  
  
KENNEDY  
  
I need to ask you something.  
  
Willow starts to feel really uneasy about the situation she finds herself in but answers back reluctantly.  
  
WILLOW  
  
Go ahead.  
  
Kennedy then, without warning, pulls Willow in and kisses her. Willow for a second lets herself kiss Kennedy back, before pulling away.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
~Smiling~ I couldn't remember my question.  
  
WILLOW  
  
I can see that. Listen, I just don't think this is a good idea; I'm not ready for this.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Why's that?  
  
WILLOW  
  
Well, um, you see.  
  
Willow fumbles around with her words. She doesn't want to hurt Kennedy's feelings.  
  
WILLOW  
  
Morning breath.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Morning breath? ~Gives Willow a very questionable look, eyebrows and all.~  
  
WILLOW  
  
Yes, bad stuff that morning breath. Speaking of, I'm going to go brush my teeth.  
  
Willow walks out of the room, leaving Kennedy standing in the middle of the room very puzzled.  
  
Scene opens to Dawn's bedroom. Dawn is still sleeping; she seems to be having a very disturbing dream. She is throwing herself around the bed and making loud moaning noises.  
  
Flash to dream:  
  
A grave, with blood pouring down the face of it. You can hear a heart beating in the background. A cross lays in the middle of a field, half buried in dirt. Dawn stands there looking at it, when it begins to rain. She notices each drop falling on the tiny medal cross. Flash back to grave. Blood has stopped pouring. She reads the name on the tombstone, but doesn't recognize it. She turns to see Buffy standing behind her, she is covered in blood. Dawn reaches out to her, but Buffy begins to walk away. As she walks away she turns one last time to say to Dawn: "Death is your gift." Dawn opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out. The beating of the heart gets louder, and the blood begins to pour down the grave once again.  
  
Dawn wakes up. She is sitting upright in her bed, drenched with sweat, tears running down her cheeks. She sighs.  
  
FADE TO COMMERCIAL  
  
  
  
Scene opens in Buffy's bedroom. Spike is lying in the bed still very beat up.  
  
SPIKE  
  
I don't think I can feel my legs.  
  
BUFFY  
  
Well, you either can or you can't Spike. Which is it?  
  
SPIKE  
  
I can, just thought I'd be a little dramatic. Listen, thank you for saving me pet. I knew you'd come, I told that bastard you would.  
  
BUFFY  
  
Well, we're gonna need you. Once you're all healed up, you can help us fight him, and you can help me train the potentials.  
  
SPIKE  
  
Is.is that the only reason you saved me? So, I could help you?  
  
BUFFY  
  
Spike listen, I trust you all right; I know you have a soul now. If we're going to live through this, we're going to need your help. I wanted to Spike, I wanted to save you. I just.  
  
SPIKE  
  
You don't need to explain, I get it.  
  
Spike and Buffy both look at each other for a moment. Neither one says anything. Spike takes Buffy's hand, and the scene ends.  
  
Scene opens to Molly walking into Dawn's bedroom.  
  
MOLLY  
  
Hey Dawnie. More nightmares?  
  
DAWN  
  
Ugh, yea. Bad one this time, real bad.  
  
MOLLY  
  
Wanna tell me about it?  
  
DAWN  
  
I don't really remember that much, just that it was bad. Can I ask you a question?  
  
MOLLY  
  
Yea, go ahead.  
  
DAWN  
  
Are you scared? I mean, about being a potential slayer?  
  
MOLLY  
  
I was for a really long time. I hated the idea of being someone with that much responsibility, someone with the whole world on their shoulders. But, it's all good now, I mean I've accepted my role in all this.  
  
DAWN  
  
That's good.  
  
MOLLY  
  
Why do you ask?  
  
DAWN  
  
I've just been thinking a lot lately about what it'd be like, ya know, being Buffy. I mean, how do they know who'd make a good slayer or not?  
  
MOLLY  
  
You can't try to rationalize this kind of thing Dawn, its just fate.  
  
Molly flashes a small smile, and Dawn lowers her head to look at her pillow.  
  
FADE TO COMMERCIAL  
  
Scene opens in the First's underground cave. He is in the form of Warren. He is talking to his hooded minions, the Bringers.  
  
WARREN  
  
Tomorrow you will go and get them. All of them. We need to get her before they find out what she is. That Buffy Bitch doesn't even know what she's got. Figures, never was much of a brain. That witch though, Willow, she'll see it before the rest of them. That's why we need to move quickly. They might have that pathetic excuse for a vampire, but what I'm about to throw at them will make they're heads spin.literally.  
  
Scene opens to backyard. Xander is standing in the middle of the yard looking around. Anya walks up behind him and startles him.  
  
Anya tapping Xander on the shoulder:  
  
ANYA  
  
Hey, whatcha doin?  
  
Xander jumps.  
  
XANDER  
  
Anya, you can't just sneak up on people like that! You nearly scared me to death.  
  
ANYA  
  
A couple of months ago I might have been happy about that.  
  
XANDER  
  
What?  
  
ANYA  
  
You broke my heart Harris.  
  
XANDER  
  
What makes you bring that up now?  
  
ANYA  
  
Well, last time we all thought we were going to die you proposed, just kinda reminded me of it. And I can't really think about the proposal without thinking about me standing on the altar, alone.  
  
XANDER  
  
We're not going to die.  
  
ANYA  
  
Yea well let's hope not, I haven't been human all that long, it'd be a pity to waste my youth so quickly.  
  
XANDER  
  
~laughing and under his breath~ Yea, a real pity. ~in his regular voice~ Is there something you came out here for?  
  
ANYA  
  
No, not really. Just thought I'd say hi.  
  
XANDER  
  
Ok then.  
  
ANYA  
  
Well, hi.  
  
XANDER  
  
Hi.  
  
A few moments pass, both just looking at each other. Anya wearing her goofy smile, and Xander wearing a blank stare.  
  
ANYA  
  
Well, ok. Bye.  
  
XANDER  
  
Bye Anya.  
  
Anya and Xander share another short stare, and Anya walks back into the house. Xander, looking disappointed, is left standing in the middle of the lawn where he had been all along.  
  
Scene opens to Willow standing in the kitchen as Anya walks in.  
  
ANYA  
  
Sometimes that man really annoys me!  
  
WILLOW  
  
Who?  
  
ANYA  
  
Xander, who else? I mean he is soooo annoying. He broke my heart, but it's like he doesn't even care. He just goes on living his day to day, boring life.  
  
WILLOW  
  
You guys looked like you were getting along fine. No fighting from what I could see.  
  
ANYA  
  
Well, you don't have to be fighting to be annoyed.  
  
WILLOW  
  
You still love him don't you?  
  
ANYA  
  
No, of course not. That's silly Willow.  
  
Willow giving Anya the eyebrow stare.  
  
ANYA  
  
Seriously, I don't.  
  
Willow continuing to give her the stare.  
  
ANYA  
  
Ok! Fine, you don't have to beat it out of me. I do still love him, and I don't know why. You think being stood up at the altar would be enough, but no, I still love him. Damn these human emotions, damn them!  
  
Willow smirking walks out of the room leaving Anya to herself and her damn human emotions.  
  
FADE TO COMMERCIAL  
  
Scene opens to Summer's basement. Buffy is showing Molly and Kennedy some moves, while Dawn sits on the stairs watching.  
  
BUFFY  
  
You gotta have a really good grip on it. If you don't when you stake 'em, it won't go deep enough and they'll probably just end up killing you.  
  
MOLLY  
  
Well, that's comforting.  
  
BUFFY  
  
It's true though. You're going to need to know these things if you're the slayer.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Problem is we don't know who the next slayer will be. So, one of us is seriously wasting their time with all this training.  
  
BUFFY  
  
Kennedy, say we don't train, and then you end up being the slayer. On your first patrol a vamp attacks you and you don't know what to do. Then what?  
  
DAWN  
  
I think they get the idea Buffy.  
  
BUFFY  
  
They have to learn Dawnie, it's the only way.  
  
DAWN  
  
I'm just saying that.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Can we leave the family squabbles till later? We need to finish.  
  
BUFFY  
  
She's right Dawn, we'll talk later.  
  
DAWN  
  
Fine. I'll be upstairs.  
  
Dawn walks upstairs and out of scene.  
  
MOLLY  
  
So, what can we be expecting next from the First? More über-vamps?  
  
BUFFY  
  
I don't really know to tell you the truth; it's hard to tell.  
  
KENNEDY  
  
Well when he's ready to show his ugly face again, I'll be waiting to kick his ass.  
  
Kennedy throws an axe at the target, missing it by a good two feet.  
  
BUFFY  
  
Good attitude, bad aim. Let's keep working.  
  
All three girls continue training. The noise of weapons being dropped can be heard in the background as the scene ends.  
  
Scene opens to Willow, Anya, and Xander lounging around in the living room. Willow is on her laptop researching, while Xander and Anya sit on the couch.  
  
WILLOW  
  
I think I found something!  
  
XANDER  
  
What is it Will? ~jumping up~  
  
WILLOW  
  
Wait, never mind, it's nothing. Sorry.  
  
ANYA  
  
~walking over to Willow and leaning down to tell her something directly into her ear~ I'll pay you to keep yelling out you found stuff, so Xander will continue to jump, he's so cute when he hops up and down like that.  
  
WILLOW  
  
Kinda like a bunny?  
  
ANYA  
  
Eh! No not like a creepy, beady eyed bunny! Bad analogy!  
  
WILLOW  
  
You brought that one upon yourself.  
  
ANYA  
  
Isn't that always the case?  
  
Anya returns to the couch next to Xander. Xander is completely oblivious to the entire conversation that just happened right in front of him.  
  
WILLOW  
  
I don't think the internet is going to be much help to us. It's just not the right...Oh my god, what is that?  
  
Willow jumps from her seat and runs towards the window. Xander and Anya immediately follow her lead. A large demon is standing in their front yard yelling.  
  
DEMON  
  
Send her out to me!  
  
XANDER  
  
Who the hell is he talking about? Does he want Buffy?  
  
ANYA  
  
That would make the most sense. I doubt he wants me or Willow, although I was once a major catch for most demons.  
  
XANDER  
  
Past tense being the key part.  
  
DEMON  
  
Send out the child, she is the one that must be destroyed!  
  
WILLOW  
  
He couldn't be talking about..  
  
XANDER  
  
Dawn.  
  
Scene closes with Willow, Xander, and Anya all looking at each other is dismay.  
  
END CREDITS  
  
Grrrr. Arghhh. 


End file.
